Hello, I am new to this forum and I hope you guys answer/have similar questions on this topic. I am 16 years of age and I have work experience in a grocery store. I also study the German language in school and I am quite fluent in it. I have grandparents in Switzerland and I have been thinking about going to live with them for the summer to improve my German language skills. They live in Zurich and they have been permanent residents of Switzerland for over 30 years, but they do not have citizenship. My question was, are there any summer jobs in Switzerland that would hire a 16 year old American and give me a work visa/permit? I could arrange this before I go and it would also be nice if it is close to Zurich so I could potentially stay with my grandparents. This will also be a great way for me to save for college since a Swiss McDonald's has wages around 20 CHF per hour. I am guessing some people have similar questions and I hope you guys can also benefit from this thread.

Mullhollander

11.12.2015 07:16

Re: Summer Job for an American teenager in Switzerland?

One possibility for a young American seeking work in Switzerland might be as a summer camp counselor. This website might be useful:

Americans who are at least 18 yo can work as an au-pair in Switzerland (EU citizens only need to be 17). Working as an au-pair would be a great way to improve your German skills. This website gives an overview of requirements:

It would be beneficial if you had EU/ EFTA/ Swiss citizenship. Have you determined whether you might be eligible?

Medea Fleecestealer

11.12.2015 08:45

Re: Summer Job for an American teenager in Switzerland?

Welcome to the forum, but I'm afraid I have to say it's extremely unlikely you'd be able to get a job here, especially working somewhere like McD's. The rules for hiring of non-EU nationals are strict as priority is given to Swiss/EU nationals. The criteria for hiring is outlined here: